Heritance

Nonprofit Issues:

Arts & Culture

Address:

63 Pattrell Road PO Box 1564NorwichVT05055USA

Mission:

Heritance coordinates a network of museum professionals who provide skills, knowledge, and services free of charge to museums in some of the poorest and most remote regions of the globe. To read our executive summary: http://www.heritance.org/corpdocs/Heritance_ExecutiveSummary_071106.pdf

Results:

Heritance has established partnerships with over 20 museums on four continents and an international network of museum professionals who have delivered a full-range of technical and financial services free of charge to museums.

Target demographics:

Community-based museums world-wide, often in regions afflicted by poverty, disease or strife—currently including museums in Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, France.

Direct beneficiaries per year:

18-24 museums and their stakeholders -- staff, volunteers, board members, international specialists who do research on their collections.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...

to know them

The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...

very fine

If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...

help othersd musee

Ways to make it better...

nothing

In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...

to can pollect the money for all the projects

One thing I'd also say is that...

i am very enjoy to know this organisation

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

2008-1-01

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1 previous review

Rating:
5 stars
January 1, 200801/01/2008

4 people found this review helpful

My name is Christiane Eckert ,I am french and come from
Strasbourg Alsace.
I am an volunteer en San Cristobal where I works in a home who look after children and I know the museum from Sergio Castro since many years because I am in a french association called "Maya solidarite " who help Sergio Castro in these works for the indigenes:
I think that the project for the museum ,is a superb project because it does not exist another museum of this type in all the Mexique and it is important that the most people possible can known that civilisation with its traditions and its customs.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

The Missisquoi Museum, a small non-profit organization in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, first encountered Heritance in late 2006. The Heritance team were described to us a "museologists without borders". As we have been struggling for years with falling attendance, a lack of focus and direction, and a decline in energy and enthusiasm we felt that perhaps having wise council from an exterior point of view would be helpful. Little did we know after our first meeting with their director Maureen Doyle what amazing changes were in store for us. Our first workshop involved not only the staff and board of directors of the historical society but also museum professionals, similar organizations and key representatives from the community. Discussions were thought provoking and encouraging. Heritance guided the process with clairity, humour and an understanding of how small museums and small communities work. The result from this first workshop was a renewed interest in the museum's future as a potential regional museum. We started to see the potential that the Heritance team could see in us. Work began immediately on a strategic plan, a mission statement, thoughts on partnering with other organizations, an education programme and a clearer approach to how we want to see our museum in the community and in the future. The advice and guidance from Heritance has been priceless. The team of professionals are intelligent,approachable and committed to their projects. Our continued connection to them means that we are moving in a postive direction and with a sense that we are not alone.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

the fact that our museum now has a strategic plan, a vision, and a sense of purpose and direction, and a renewed energy level.

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

hire Maureen Doyle and her team to run it for me!

What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...

meeting members of the Heritance team and conversing with them about our museum and small museums world wide.

The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...

very professional, dedicated, personable and wise.

If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...

expand its staff and budget and probably reach more organizations like the Missisquoi Museum on a global level.

Ways to make it better...

more members from our own museum participated in the process and communication network with Heritance.

In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...

probably financial. Their work could go far and wide if they had more funding.

One thing I'd also say is that...

an historical organization or museum must be committed and dedicated to a project when working with Heritance. If the organization is not willing to work hard, they will not obtain all the wonderful benefits, advice and guidance that will be available to them through the Heritance team. Even a small amount of effort gives big results.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

Pure intention, transparency, passion, dedication, willingness to grow and incorporate new approaches... this organization from it's inception has been extraordinary. Helmed by a brilliant and committed woman, great work is already happening around the globe and developing geometrically. I have witnessed the vision of this non-profit become very real and effect change in inspirational and yet concrete ways.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

My name is Camilo Sanchez and I'm chief of exhibition design at Maloka, a science centre in Bogota, Colombia. After 9 years of operation, Maloka is working at the moment on the construction of a second phase. Although the original plans for that new development were drawn 5 years ago, the needs of the organization have changed over the years and that old plan is not exactly what we are looking for today. In June we asked Heritance to give us a hand in the construction of a program for the musicological development of the second phase. A month ago, Heritance visited us for 10 days in BogotÃƒÂ¡. As a result of an inspiring workshop, we created a team devoted to the definition of the program and the concepts that will be the basis of this new development. Heritance made us rethink and reformulate the basic ideas behind the transmition of scientific knowledge to our visitors and gave us lights and new ideas on how to approach the design of Maloka II. Have not been for Heritance, we would still be working on the ideas of the old project. They made us stop and THINK, and that is just priceless!!. After the workshop we kept on working here at Maloka and we regularly communicate with Heritance through the Internet. It is amazing how they keep track of the seed they planted in our minds. WONDERFUL!!!

Hello,
My name is Jean Bermon, I' m a french architect traveling right now in the Chiapas (Mexico) for Heritance. Here is an overview of my work with the Museum of Costumes funded in San Cristobal by Sergio Castro, an agricultural engineer, dedicated to Indians community.
The principal goal of the museum is to introduce the public (principally foreigners) to the diversity of contemporary Mayan culture. The museum also raises money for projects in public health (clean water) and education (school construction). The museum possesses a 100 traditional formal and daily outfits coming from different communities in Chiapas. It is unique because typically all clothing is buried with the dead along with all of their personal possessions. The museum also has the following objects in its collection: masks, jewelry, musical instruments, statues, religious objects.. The collection has always been kept in a rented space because the museum lacks the funds to buy a space. For this reason, the collection has never been placed on exhibit.
Because of the precarity of the museum , Heritance proposes the following intervention:
- protect and facilitate the long-term conservation of costumes, which are currently exposed to numerous destructive agents: light, touch, chemicals, bacteria (especially the plant-based fabrics from the Lacandon community).
- to create an exhibit and furthermore make it compatible with traveling exhibits and long-term storage (display w/ light, labels & adequate in all respects for long-term storage)
- to create a self-guided visit to increase the number of visits possible to the collection.
Some other people I met here are very supportive: Christiane, a member of the french association taking care of the projects funding. Nadia and Fabien, a couple living in San Cristobal, involve in many social projects.
After six days of work together, we have been able to achieve our goals:
Ã¢â‚¬Â¢ to write the synopsis of a new program for the better presentation of the artifacts.
Ã¢â‚¬Â¢ to draw the outline of a new display.
Ã¢â‚¬Â¢ to collect the informations in order to have this display realized on place.
Ã¢â‚¬Â¢ to ensure a long distance relationship through basecamp, our working site on the Internet.
This is just the beginning of a wonderful experience we wish to share with you.